Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-12-29
GIVING NEW YEARS GIFTS.

The giving of New Years gifts is a custom
that has long been practically obsolete, but
in the olden days gift giving on New Years
was as strictly observed as on Christmas
Like many of the Christmas customs, it was
derived from the Romans among whom, al
one time, the day possessed the proud distinc-
tlon of being the only one in the whole year
on which gifts could be legally demanded.
Among common New Years gifts in the
early days of England's history were oranges
stuck with cloves-oranges and cloves were
! great rarities then-gloves and pins to the
ladies, etc. The common gift from tenant
| to his landlord was a capon, and Cowley an
early English poet recognized this custom
when he wrote tie lines;
When with low regs and in an humble guise
He offered up a capon sacrifice
Unto his worship at the New Years tide.
Among the characters in Ben Jonson's
"Masque of Christmas is ''New Years Gift
in blue coat, serving man like, with an
orange, and sprig of rosemary on his head,
his hat full of brooches, with a collar of
gingerbread, his torch beaver, carrying a
marchpane with a bottle of wine on either
arm" Sometimes in the place OF gloves or
pins, dearer then to the feminine heart, even.
than now, for they We're costly and used only
by the rich, sums of money were given; hence
the terms, still in common use, of "glove
money" and ''pin money" The bribing of
judges was not at all uncommon in those
days, and money paid to the administrators
OF the law was often concealed in handsome
gloves presented as polite offerings of friend
ship. Once when lady of the name of
Croaker sent pair of gloves to Sir Thomas
More lined with forty golden sovereigns that
judge returned the gold with a note in which,
"since it were against good manners to re-
fuse" her New Years gift was accepted,
'but as for the lining" he went on, II ut
terly refuse itn 1t was the custom then to
make New Years gifts in profusion to the
relgning sovereign, and lists of such gifts are
still religiously preserved.
Queen Elizabeth received more New Years
gifts than any previous ruler of England,
and among the articles named on her lists
were necklaces, petticoats, looking glasses,
bracelets, silk stockings, etc. 1t is believed
that the famous silk stockings given to this
queen by Mrs Montague were New Years
gifts, and it is recorded that Elizabeth liked
them nightly and thenceforth she never
wore cloth hose any more. The giving of
New Years presents to superiors was a GUS
tom generally observed, and, of course, be-
came cloak for all sorts of jobbery.
The Banquet of Jests, published in 1884,
tells tale of a New Years gift made by
one of the noblemen of the reign of King
Charles l to the court jester, which it terms |
a pleasant story" 1t seems that the Jester |
was not satisfied with the number of pieces |
of money he had received, SO he shook the |
coins discontentedly in his hand, whereat |
the nobleman begged the return of them for |
a moment, ''and by the way" he added, |
''there is one of them which would be loath |
to part with" The coins were returned and |
the jester waited patiently for a larger gift.
But the nobleman pocketed the cash, re-
marking with great brilliancy:
Il once gave my money into the hands of
4 fool, who had not the wit to keep it."
The fact that this story has been preserved
from oblivion for more than 200 years by
means of constant repubhcations in England,
and that all the wits of that island have
doubtless laughed heartily at it, may per-
laps be considered sufficient excuse for its
Insertion here